He Said She said
by PaisleyRose
Summary: A little short that came to me. I give it to you for my birthday...
1. Chapter 1

_**He said he'd be there**_

_**She said sometimes I need you**_

_**A love story**_

_**Labyrinth Style**_

_**By **_

_**PaisleRose**_

_**Disclaimer**_

_**Based on Jim Henson's Labyrinth**_

_**Yeah you all know the drill by now.**_

_**I don't own it…**_

_**Yada yada yada..**_

_**Obligatory Disclaimer**_

_**(Yeah I know, but we need to keep it legal)**_

_**I don't own the Labyrinth**_

_**Nor do I own its inhabitants**_

_**I receive no payment in the way of legal tender for this work**_

_**I receive only the blessings and gratitude of a grateful King**_

_**End of silly disclaimer**_

_**If you want the legal jargon**_

_**You must visit the Goblin Legal Department…**_

_***I wouldn't do that if I were you.***_

_***Words of the prologue and some other sections come from the novelization by***_

_**A.C. Smith**_

_**Words from the Early movie script LABYRINTH: by Laura Phillips and Terry Jones. Story by Dennis Lee**_

_***With corrections and additions by moi in italics***_

_**Prologue**_

_** Hoggle popped up from behind the bed. "Yes, if you ever need us... for any reason at all ..." He stared at her from under his bushy eyebrows, and started to fade. **_

_** Sarah said, "I need you Hoggle."**_

_** The dwarf stopped fading, he stared at her open mouthed for a moment before stuttering, "You do?"**_

_** Sarah nodded, trying to understand and acknowledge the conflict of her statement. "Sometimes, for no reason at all," she sighed, "I need you…. I need all of you…."**_

_** "You do," Hoggle gasped, "Well why didn't you say so?"**_

_** Outside the dark window, the barn owl had been perched with his claws hooked on a branch, an effigy of watching and waiting. Now he swooped away over the park, on silent velvet wings, up toward the full moon. Nobody saw him, white in the moonlight, black against the stars.**_

_**Chapter 1. **_

Linda Williams sat across from her daughter in the restaurant in Manhattan trying not to lose her temper in public. She had a reputation to maintain and not even Sarah's silly little drama was worth tarnishing that. She had forgotten all about the lunch date she'd set up with the girl, and now sitting across from her in her idea of casual wear she found herself feeling a bit embarrassed. Sarah's peasant shirt and jeans were fashionable, but far too casual for Linda's tastes. All during lunch the girl had railed against what she considered the unfair actions taken by her father and her stepmother, not once asking Linda how her day had been going, "Sarah," she said keeping her voice very low, "I'm not sure why you're telling me all this… your father is the one who should be dealing with this."

Sarah Williams stared at her mother, "He's not a girl."

Schooling her features, knowing there were gossips in this town who would love to crucify her she leaned forward keeping her voice low, "No dear he's not, but he is your father."

"And you're my mother."

Linda bristled at the volume her daughter used to make the statement, "I'm aware," her tone took on that don't mess with me edge. "Still, you live with **him**."

"Can't I come live with you?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"I not home enough to supervise you."

"I don't need to be supervised!"

"Of course you do, you're only fourteen…"

"Sixteen," Sarah corrected with a hurt expression.

Linda frowned, first at being corrected, then at being corrected publicly where someone could put two and two together and figure out her mysterious age. "I could have sworn…"

"You and Jeremy took me out for a night on the town for my fifteenth," she reminded her mother, "That was last year… this year you were out of town and sent me a basket of flowers."

"They were very nice flowers."

"I didn't say that they weren't."

Emerald eyes a shade darker than her daughters swept over the room to be sure they were not being observed, "Sarah lower your voice," she warned dangerously.

"Mom, please you don't know what its like," the girl whined a bit. "Karen won't listen to reason, and she never sees that she's being unfair, or doting on Toby… she's not my mother." Sarah saw Linda bristle and stiffen at the mention of the word mother. "I can transfer to the public high school that's two blocks from your apartment…."

The actress sighed heavily before confronting the girl, "Sarah I'm not going to be at my apartment, I'm going overseas for three months of shooting on a miniseries."

"When were you going to tell me," Sarah asked with hurt feelings, tears welling in her eyes. "Or were you just going to send me a note after you'd left town again?"

"Sarah, I'm a working actress," her mother reminded her curtly. "I go where the work is and I don't need permission to do so; you should know that by now." Crossing her arms her face turned stony, "Your father has custody of you for good reasons and is going to keep custody of you… when you're eighteen you can move out on your own, and not before."

"Mom," Sarah begged once more, "Please just let me come for the rest of the summer…"

"No."

"Mom, please!"

"Sarah stop that, you're acting like a child." The words stung and Sarah pulled back into herself, Linda went on in a tone of disdain she'd never before used on Sarah, "You're quite the little drama queen and I'll take part of the blame for that… but this business of you jumping on a train to come into the city to disturb my working day is going to stop right now. I don't have custody and I am working… you have a problem with Karen and your father I suggest you work it out with them. Frankly I think you're making a mountain out of a molehill over not being able to do what you want… you're behaving like a spoiled little brat."

Sarah leaned back in the chair, "I thought for sure you'd be the one who would understand."

"Oh I understand," Linda sneered, "You thought you could come here and pit me against your father. Well it won't work." She sipped her coffee to sooth her nerves, "Finish your meal; I'll call a cab to take you back to Nyack."

"Don't bother," Sarah answered sullenly, "I've my return train ticket."

The cup made noise as Linda lowered it to her saucer, "If you're so grown up at sixteen I suggest you start behaving it starting now. I'm sure you can find your way to the train station, can't you?"

"Not a problem," Sarah retorted.

"Fine," Linda said motioning a waiter over. She paid the check and stood up, "I'll be leaving in a week, and I'll call you before I go." She tapped her toe waiting for the girl to stand as well.

"Don't bother; I know how busy you are." Sarah turned without saying goodbye or offering to kiss her mother's cheek. She didn't stop until she was out of the trendy restaurant where her mother had insisted on going. Hurt, disillusioned and totally disenchanted Sarah walked in the direction of the train station muttering to herself how unfair life was. The ride back to suburbia was quiet and unpleasant for the girl with Sarah staring out the window. The tall buildings of the city giving way to shorter apartments and then houses and quaint business districts as the train made its way north of the city.

The train station in Nyack was only a glorified platform now. Sarah left the train and headed toward home; a two mile hike that she was only too happy to take and dawdle. Her trek took her through and past the familiar stomping grounds of the park. She took the side path down to the pond, across the stone foot bridge and into the knolls where swans swam lazily in a little spring fed pond. Sarah scowled as she looked at the stone obelisk where a year ago she'd been reciting lines from her favorite book. It looked very much as it always had, with one exception. The barn owl that frequented the park had not been seen in ages. Approaching the monolith she extended her foot and swiftly kicked at it. "It's not fair," she grumbled. "Karen's unreasonable, Dad is oblivious and Mom… is insensible, indifferent, and just heartless…"

"I wish things were the way they used to be," she moaned leaning on the stone pillar; "Growing up sucks."

Still leaning on the stone she went over the events of the last year. The big storm that had taken out the power in her neighborhood while she'd baby sat Toby. The trauma of the storm and her hallucination… one she'd kept to herself as she didn't want Karen dragging her off to a shrink. Even if there had been times in the first days after the storm that she herself had considered she might actually need a shrink, she didn't want Karen involved! She put the blame on the barn owl that'd come in when the window in Toby's room had flung open. It had been months before she could get through a storm without having the begeebees scared out of her. Sarah had even taken to sleeping with a nightlight on, much to her everlasting shame. She had tried so hard after that to be more accepting of Karen. Well, she thought to herself, she had tried, sort of.

But nothing was ever enough. Good grades, better behavior around the house~ nothing. Karen would never be cool. Now her father who had always doted on her was supporting his wife, and going along with her on most everything. It was enough to make Sarah scream. And to top it all Toby was going through the terrible twos making everyone in the house miserable. Having taken out her frustration on the stone pillar, Sarah turned to head home as the clock in the tower across the park rang seven.

Karen came out to the porch dressed for an evening out and stared at the girl, "Where have you been," she barked. "I've been calling everywhere for you."

"I had lunch in town with my mother today," Sarah answered with an expression on her face that was bordering on insulting. She walked past the woman and into the house.

Karen followed her, "I don't recall you saying…"

"It's on the calendar in the kitchen," Sarah waved a hand toward the room.

Needing to prove the girl wrong the woman stormed into the kitchen and looked. Her facial expression changed, "It is…" She closed her eyes whispered something about losing her mind and looked over at Sarah. "I'm sorry, you're right, you did say you were having lunch in town… It's just that this dinner is so important…"

"I told you I'd be back in time to sit with the squirt," Sarah rolled her eyes upward.

"Yes you did," Karen agreed still on edge, "Thank you for being so… prompt… Did you have a nice lunch?"

"It was okay," Sarah lied suddenly, she had planned on saying no it was awful and it's your fault. But looking at Karen had put that thought out of her head. "You look like you're going to crawl outta your skin. Why are you so on edge?"

"I'm worried about this dinner meeting," Karen confessed. "A full partnership is riding on this."

"Don't worry," Sarah sighed distractedly, "Daddy is a shoe in, and he's brilliant in the courtroom."

"He's not the only candidate, Sarah," Karen lamented. Taking a moment she composed herself and put on her game face much as Linda would put on makeup for the stage. "Toby has been fed, and he's got a little touch of a cold... or maybe it's an allergy… I gave him something to clear his head and he's down, just check him a couple of times."

"Sure," Sarah agreed.

"There's money for a pizza in the foyer, and Merlin is in the garage, it looks like a storm is going to roll in," Karen said moving toward the front door when she heard Robert coming down the stairs. "Just remember, no staying on the phone, no loud music and no visitors."

Sarah nodded, "Yeah yeah yeah," she motioned her hands to shoo them out the door. "I've got it, it's not the first time I've sat with him you know."

Robert opened the door, "Looks like a storm coming in," it was starting to rain. "Great, driving to the country club in rain," he grabbed an umbrella, "Night princess." He kissed her in passing.

"Night Dad," she replied.

Karen hesitated; looking oddly like a goose had just crossed her grave. "Sarah," she lowered her voice, "Don't open this door to any strangers…."

"I'm not four years old," she answered with a bit more sass than she'd meant to. Sarah was aware of Karen's Irish superstations, but tonight was not the night to tease her stepmother about them. "Look, you're letting memories of that storm last year spook you… just go, have a nice dinner and do the corporate wifey thing. Get Daddy his partnership," Sarah advised a bit more munificently. Karen nodded, grabbed her umbrella and followed Robert to the car where he was now waiting.

Sarah closed the door and said aloud, "I thought they would never leave…."

'Neither did I' she thought she heard. Looking around she wondered if Karen had just spooked her into a mind bender frame. She laughed lightheartedly for the first time that day, or for many days. Picked up the phone, dialed the pizza parlor and made her order. Sarah moved back to the kitchen to set the table for one. Karen had rules as to where you could eat and where you couldn't eat. Sarah found it easier to follow the rules than to buck them, and this one made sense. If Karen wanted pizza eaten in the kitchen where it was less mess why argue.

The storm was still building when the pizza was delivered, and Sarah shut the door behind the delivery man tightly after he had been paid and left. She carried the hot pie into to the kitchen and set it on the counter. Eating alone was no fun, but Karen had left strict orders, no visitors. Even if she could have a visitor there was no one to call. In the last year she'd dated sporadically but no one ever took her breath away. She'd have a date or two, and move on. If a guy lasted two weeks it was an event for Sarah. Even her girl friends of which there were only a few knew that she couldn't have guests when her parents went out. Besides being Saturday night it was date night and only losers were not out having fun. Thinking she heard a bit of fussiness Sarah left her half eaten slice of pizza and headed up the stairs.

_**The storm delivered a lightning flash and clap of thunder directly above the house. It rattled the windows in their frames. Teacups danced in the kitchen cupboard. Lightning cracked. Thunder crashed. Lightning flashed and thunder hammered the air. Merlin barked out in the garage as if all the burglars in the world were closing in. For a moment Sarah froze on the stair, this was all a bit too familiar. She moved to the hall outside Toby's room and peered in, listing to him fuss but not cry out.**_

_** The storm raged on over the house; clouds boiled and rain lashed the leaves on the trees. Thunder was followed by lightning. Sarah was listening. What she was listening to was an unnatural silence within the house. Toby had stopped fussing, so suddenly it scared her. She looked back inside the nursery. The bedside light was out. "Toby?" she called. He did not respond. **_

_** She flicked the light switch beside the door. Nothing happened. She jiggled it up and down several times to no effect. A board creaked. "Toby? Are you all right? Why aren't you crying? I'm sure this storm scares you as much as it's scaring me," She stepped nervously into the quiet room. The light from the landing, coming through the doorway, threw unfamiliar shadows onto the walls and across the carpet. In the lull between two thunderclaps, she thought she heard a humming in the air. She could detect no movement at all in the crib. **_

_** "Toby," she whispered in anxiety, and walked toward the crib with her breath drawn. Her hands were shaking like aspen leaves. She reached out to pull the sheet back. If she'd expected to find the crib unoccupied she was mistaken. Toby lay there with his eyes wide open and his face for a moment devoid of anything that was remotely human. Lightning whipped against the sky and the room was illuminated, when Sarah looked back Toby looked up at her with a dazed expression before closing his eyes to her and the storm.**_

Sarah took a long ragged breath, "Get a grip Sarah," she said aloud. "The kid is drugged to the gills with Karen's cold meds. He's fine…" she tucked him up making sure Lancelot was in his arm and told herself the wiring in this room was faulty and she'd have her father call someone. She didn't bother trying the wall switch again, and ignored the rattling of the window being pleated with rain.

_**Had she looked she'd have seen **__**a barn owl flapping insistently on the glass. The light from the landing reflected in its great, round, dark eyes, watching her. The whiteness of its plumage was illuminated by a series of lightning flashes that seemed continuous.**_

Turning back to take one last look in the room Sarah saw something lying on the floor just under the crib that she didn't recall seeing there before. Her hands trembled when returning to the room she bent to retrieve the item from the floor. It was something that shouldn't be here, something that shouldn't be anywhere. Something she'd put away a year ago… a red leather bound book with gold leaf letters reading 'Labyrinth'. Sarah blinked several times, trying to understand. The thunder of the storm over head was joined by a thunderous pounding on the front door. Sarah tucked the book into her pocket and headed down the stairs.

_** Sarah approached the front door with some trepidation. She started to open it, and then realized what she was doing. She fastened the chain and only then opened the door a crack.**__** Through the door opening Sarah can see a very elegantly dressed,**__** quite good-looking man of an indeterminate age. He had a worldly air, or was it other-worldly? Before he could speak a flash of lightning illuminated his face. He was a mesmerizing sight and Sarah couldn't help but gawk, her mouth dropped open slightly then shut tightly.**_ _**Lightning crackled and flashed again, and this time it distracted her **__**attention from the open door by shining on the clock that stood on the**____**wall shelf. She saw that the hands were at thirteen o'clock. She was staring distractedly at the clock when she felt something nudge the back of her legs. She glanced down to find nothing there. Sarah's lips parted, but she made no sound. In that instant lightning flashed again and the stranger appeared to wear a cloak, which swirled in the wind. She could see that his hair was shoulder-length and blond. Something glinted about his neck; more than that she could not see in the flash light. She blinked as one does when a camera flash goes off. When she looked again she saw an elegantly dressed man smiling at her with an all too gentle and engraciating smile.**_

_** "Excuse me; is this the home of Sarah Williams ... Sarah Williams, the actress?"A voice with a very British accent inquired.**_

_** She said, "Uh ...," and cleared her throat. "Who are you?" **_

_** "Allow me to introduce myself ..." he held out his gloved hand reaching in from the crack, "I'm Robin Zaker."**_

_** Sarah stared at the hand as if she expected it to contain a snake, "Robin Zaker," she repeated. "Robin Zaker the author?" He was certainly handsome. She had not expected that.**_

_** "That's right," he nodded, "I wrote a book that's being used as a play in a lot of community high schools… I understand you tried out for a part last year…It got rave reviews I'm told."**_

___**Sarah's hand hesitates over the chain for just a moment, and then she unfastened it and opened the door. Robin Zaker entered and extended his hand taking hers into it. He bent over her hand while addressing her, "Miss Williams I'm delighted to meet you at last."**_

_** Strange sounds came from upstairs, Sarah whispered, "Toby? Excuse me, I have to check on my brother…. Don't' move," Sarah moved past the stranger who wore an oddly triumphant smile while she went up the stairs. **_

_** He looked about the foyer with a critical eye before leisurely moving up the stairs as well. His face calm and composed against the flashes of light that were now almost a strobe. He was outside the bedroom looking in at the girl who was trying to figure out what the hell was going on, "Can I be of help Sarah?" He asked in a manner that was far too personal.**_

_** Sarah's lips parted, but she made no sound. Behind her, something snickered. She spun around and saw it duck down again behind the chest of drawers. Shadows were scuttling across the walls, were prancing and bobbing behind her. Suddenly they were gone; the shadows vanished as if they had not been there. She looked at the man, "What are you doing here, you don't belong up here!"**_

_** Smoothly he answered, "I wondered if I could be of help…I've been told I'm very good with children." **_

_** "No," Sarah answered sharply, "You cannot be of help, now please go back down stairs… I'll be with you in a moment." She pointed the way back to the stairs. She was not certain for a very long moment if he would follow her instructions. Robin Zaker shrugged before he turned.**_

_** Sarah checked the room thoroughly, making sure the window latch was locked and that the room was secure. Nothing was out of place, and Toby was sleeping peacefully. She left his bedroom door ajar, so that if he should waken and need her she'd hear him. Only when she was standing out in the hall did it dawn on her that she'd allowed a stranger into the house. "Shit," she said aloud, "Karen's going to kill me." **_

_** Sarah hurried down the stairs, but the foyer was empty. She wondered for a moment if the man had been a hallucination.**_ _**She hoped the stranger had left but when she heard music coming from the stereo in the parlor her hope was dashed. The man who had introduced himself as Robin Zaker sat on the sofa with a drink poured from the bar set. He smiled at her enticingly, patted the cushion beside him and invited her, "Come and sit beside me, and we'll have a little chat."**_

_** "Who said you could pour yourself a drink," she asked crossing her arms defensively before she entered the parlor.**_

_** "Customary to offer refreshment to a caller," he teased, took a sip and placed the glass on a costar. "Come, sit."**_

_** "I prefer to stand, thank you."**_

_** Leaning back he leered at her openly, "Suit yourself," his voice was husky, "Personally this view is fine with me. I can see why you were picked for the part of Queen Meander."**_

_** "That play was last year's news," Sarah stated icily.**_

_** The man sighed, "You're not being very friendly Miss Williams."**_

_** "I have no reason to be," Sarah stared at him, sipping her father's good Scotch and making himself entirely too at home. "I didn't invite you here." A chill ran through her when the man gave her a rakish grin, "Maybe you'd better leave," she began to tap her foot impatiently. "I don't care to discuss the play with you, not now, not ever."**_

_** Robin stood up leaving his drink on the coffee table, Sarah hoped she'd convinced him to go. However he didn't move to the foyer he came to stand directly opposite her, "I don't care to discuss the play either," he said effortlessly, his hand reached out and he stroked her cheek. Sarah was very disturbed by this, "I'm very concerned about you Sarah." He insisted. Lightning crackled and flashed again, his face during that one instant had changed. He looked like no other human she'd ever known, he looked… **_

_** Sarah backed away from his touch as she did a loud thud came from the baby's bedroom above. "Toby," she exclaimed. Sarah ran to the stairs intending on getting to her brother and locking herself in his room. She shoved the door open with difficulty, as if someone or something were holding it shut. Her eyes opened as **__**Sarah was watching the chest of drawers. Like the crib, it had a scaly, clawed foot at each corner, and both were dancing with Toby sleeping peacefully in the bed. Suddenly every piece of furniture in the room was moving.**_

_** She wheeled around, mouth open, hands clenched, and saw goblins cavorting. They ducked away into the shadows, to evade her eyes. She looked for something that would serve as a weapon. In the corner of the nursery was an old broom. She took it and advanced upon the goblins. "Go away. Go away," she whimpered, trying to sweep them up, but the handle of the broom twisted in her hands and slithered out of her grasp. The storm wind rose to a pitch. Lightning made daylight in the room, and scared faces suddenly began to vanish into cupboards, drawers, or down the cracks between floorboards. As the thunder boomed and the wind shook the curtains, a blast of air blew the window open. The humming that she had thought she heard in the air was now quite distinct, and musical. The stranger had followed her back upstairs and smiled at her hesitancy. When she spoke, her voice was a whisper. "You're ...the Goblin King." **_

_** The man smiled wickedly, "No kiss hello?"**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2.**_

__Sarah stared at the intruder who was now looking at her with something she never recognized before, raw unbridled lust. "You don't belong here," she gasped putting herself between the man and the crib.

"I only offered to be of help," he said leaning on the door jamb watching her with amusement as she believed to be barring his path.

"What did you do with the real Robin Zaker?" she demanded coldly.

Amused and not seeing any reason to offer explanations he turned and moved back down stairs. Sarah glanced about to find everything had returned to normal. Toby was fast asleep and the window was closed, and she was very confused. She tucked the baby in once more, and moved to the hall. It was empty, but she could hear the stereo still playing in the parlor. Sarah cursed herself for opening the door to him.

She found him seated once more on the sofa and sipping his drink, "What do you want Goblin King?" She asked harshly taking a seat in an armchair across from him.

"Same thing I've always wanted," he boasted.

On her feet in a second she wagged a finger in his face, "You can't have Toby! I won him back."

Jareth looked at her for a moment before he laughed rather cruelly, "Silly girl, if I had wanted that baby I could have taken him and there's nothing you could do to stop me…"

"That's not fair," she barked, "I won."

His face flushed with anger, his hand shot out capturing her wrist and yanking her to him; "Oh, did you now?"

Sarah stared into the stormy eyes of her capture, "Let me go or I'll scream," she threatened.

"Go head," his voice dropped, "Scream your fool head off for all the good it'll do you. I've frozen time," he pointed to the antique little clock, it had stopped ticking. "I prefer not to be hampered by time restraints, as this discussion will take a good deal of that commodity."

Staring at the clock she asked, "How did you do that, we're not in the goblin kingdom." Turning her face towards him she found he was studying her with more intent than she found comfortable.

"Oh come now Sarah, surely you understand how this works," he twisted her arm until she took a seat beside him. "As you insist I shall refresh your memory," his eyes danced with depraved delight, "I am not bound by your mundane laws; I am only bound by the laws that govern the Underground."

"What do you want," she repeated.

"You know what I want," he reiterated, the leer coming back to his eyes as he looked at her closely, "You've grown," he mused; "Delightfully." Sarah's lips parted, his hand moved to her chin, "Still no kiss hello?"

Sarah pulled back, "Kiss you?" her voice more shrill than she'd wished; "I'd rather kiss a snake."

His face came closer, "I can arrange that," he threatened, "And I'll guarantee I'm much more proficient than any serpent." Jareth still in the guise of Robin Zaker smelled of the liquor he'd sipped, "Be a good little girl and give us a kiss…" he intoned wickedly.

Her heart raced as the liquor on his breath slightly intoxicated her, "I'm not a little girl," she whispered tightly.

"Even better," he glowered as his eyes raked over her, "But you're still good," he assessed, "Good or bad, matters not, now let's have that kiss."

Before she could resist, not even sure she really wanted to resist, Sarah found the lips of her foe on hers. She had expected to be revolted, but found instead that his kiss gave her tingles. His tongue tasted of liquor as it passed between her lips and into the depths of her mouth. It was tangy and shocking, she moaned slightly as his mouth took possession of hers with ease. She looked at him in utter shock when he pulled back, "You shouldn't be here," she objected weakly. "I'm not supposed to have visitors…"

His hand moved down her throat, "I'm a bit more than just a visitor now am I not?" She shivered and he chuckled, "And we've all the time in the world…"

Sarah stared at his mouth, her mind racing with thoughts she'd never known. Thoughts she'd refused to give light of day to. "All the time in the world for …"

Jareth picked up his drink took a sip and gave her sinful grin, "For our visit," he sipped again before he leaned toward her to kiss her again. This time there was a bit of liquor left in his mouth, smoothly he passed it to her and she had swallowed before she was aware. "That's my girl," he crooned as he pulled back.

Sarah placed a hand to her lips, swollen from his kisses, "I'm not supposed to drink," she protested feeling the liquor burn as it went down her throat. "I'm only sixteen."

"But you like it, don't you," he asked as he placed his lips to her ear, "Don't you precious?"

"Yes," she answered without being able to stop the words.

Jareth purred into her ear then moved back and reached for the glass, this time placing it to her lips, "Drink Sarah," he commanded. Her lips accepted the glass as he tipped it up for her to sip. The Goblin King gave her a long moment to allow the liquid to be swallowed, "That's my girl," he praised her as he lowered the glass to the coaster. His hand moved back to her throat, "Feeling warm and fuzzy inside?" she nodded. His lips moved to hers, this time hers parted anticipating his desire.

Sarah had a vague idea of where this was going. The Goblin King was getting her inebriated in order to carry on some very heavy petting. Her pulse sped up and her body tingled at the thought. For a moment she wasn't sure if it was the liquor or her own pent up hormones that were making her behave so brazenly. She didn't stop him when his hand moved from her throat into the neck of her blouse, but Jareth stopped. He looked into her eyes as he pulled back; she experienced a feeling of loss and whimpered slightly.

"Not to fret, pet," he crooned gently. "I'm not done kissing you senseless… nevertheless we've a few things to get out of our way."

"Such as," she asked looking at him with a pout.

"A matter of two hours," he answered with a grin.

"Two hours?"

"Yes," he nodded looking sheepish. "The two hours I ~ took~ from you."

The liquor he'd enticed her drink was hitting her, and Sarah couldn't think quite straight. Why she wondered was he talking about two hours taken from her a year ago when they could be kissing? "I don't understand," she murmured.

"I'm afraid I have to return said hours," his eyes sparkled with mischief.

"But I… won," she argued softly as the Scotch began to fog her thought processes.

Jareth traced the line of her mouth with a long finger. "That does not matter, the hours must be returned and so must you."

Catching his wrist with her hand, Sarah tried to clear her mind, "Wait a minute," her tone darkened and her eyes flashed with fire. "Is this some kind of joke? I'm not giving Toby back to you and I'm not going back anywhere… I won!"

"Rules are rules pet," he teased.

"Fuck your rules and fuck you," she growled.

"If you insist," he purred, wicked delight at the suggestion filled his stormy eyes.

Sarah pushed his hand away, "Toby and I are staying right here." She maintained.

Jareth, still in the glamour of the handsome and exciting Robin Zaker chuckled, "Toby is staying here," he allowed, "You on the other hand don't have that option." He tapped her nose with his index finger.

"Stop that," she snarled. "What do you mean I don't have that option?"

"Rules darling, you were the runner, you have to finish your hours." He sighed peacefully and leaned toward her intending to kiss her.

Sarah avoided his lips, "Are you out of your mind? How the hell do you or they or whatever… expect me to run the Labyrinth in two hours? That's insane."

"I'm aware," Jareth's eyes sparked with fiendish delight.

"It's not fair! I won!"

Heaving a frustrated sigh Jareth reached for the Scotch, "You don't have to rub it in." He grumbled took a sip and then offered the glass to her, "Care for a snort before we go?"

"I'm not going, I refuse."

The grin that filled his face crinkled up his eyes, "You don't get to refuse precious…"

"Says who?"

He reached out and tapped the book in her pocket, "Says the book." Leaning back the Goblin King in Robin Zaker face looked young and appealing.

Sarah stared at him, "You wrote the book," she accused.

"Yes and no," he teased.

"Yes and no?"

"More no," he admitted.

"Well who did," she demanded hotly trying to clear the fog the Scotch had provided.

"Robin Zaker did," he mused.

"Are you trying to confuse me," she demanded.

"Not really, no." His answer surprised even him. "You see Sarah, Robin Zaker does exist, he allows me to use that personality and identity when I need to do business in the mortal realm that has little or nothing to do with my duties as Goblin King." He smiled slyly over at her, "Such as this little visit."

"This is not a visit," she argued, "You've come here on a mission to force me back into your lair. Well forget it Goblin King, I'm not going."

"You don't really have a choice," Jareth said frostily.

Shoving him back away from her Sarah stood on shaky limbs, the Scotch hitting her as she stood. "Oh yeah," she slurred her words slightly, "Watch this," she looked at him with blurry eyes, "You have no power over me…" she expected him to vanish, to disappear in a puff of smoke or a glittery haze.

"Would you care to take a wager on that," he asked coyly.

The room began to swim, and things about her were fading; only Jareth seemed to remain constant. "Why didn't that work," she asked weaving forward, "You're supposed to disappear when I say those words." Sarah put her hand to her head, "I feel so strange…"

Seeing her intoxicated state, Jareth stood and slid a hand to her waist to give her support. "That phrase only works during a run precious, and we are not in the Labyrinth." His voice was gentle, and soothing, his hand was supportive and possessive. "It's time to go, precious." He advised her gently.

"But Toby, I can't leave him here alone," she tried to pull free but found standing without aid impossible and grabbed onto him for support. "I can't just leave Toby."

"Toby will be fine," Jareth assured her, "Time is frozen here and the boy has goblins watching over him."

"Goblin babysitters," Sarah snorted before dissolving into a fit of liquor induced laughter, "OH that's richhh…" Sarah's hands slid up to his shoulders, "Sorry handsome, but I'm not going anywhere with you."

Jareth peered down into the face of the slightly tipsy girl, "Sarah this isn't open to discussion or refusal." His arms enfolded her, a wicked grin still played on his inviting mouth.

"Last time you held me we were dancing," she said as she began to sway, "Remember?"

"I will never forget it," he assured her; he too began to sway to the music playing on the stereo. "Is that how you'd like to spend your time? Dancing?"

Sarah had not truly heard him, she was lost in her own thoughts, "You were so different in that ballroom, you were… nice to me."

"I was always nice to you," he argued defensively narrowing his gaze.

She shook her head accusing him, "No you weren't… you were downright mean." Her eyes softened as she looked at the Robin face, "But in that room," her voice dropped to a whisper and her denied desires and longing came rushing forward, "It was like you liked me."

"I do like you," he confessed. "I always did."

"Then why are you being so mean to me? I can't leave Toby with Goblins, and I can't go with you," her eyes filled with unshed tears. "No matter how much I'd want to… I can't."

"Trust to me," he urged, "Toby will be fine; he'll sleep undisturbed."

"No," she shook her head, causing the room to being spinning. "OH that was not a good idea." She clutched his shoulders. "Remind me not to do that again." The room continued to spin and she felt a bit ill.

"Sarah," Jareth's tone became urgent, "Listen to me, and try to understand. It's out of my hands; you have to finish your two hours. It does not affect the outcome, Toby will stay here but you have to return to the Labyrinth." She began to sag as the whiskey's effects hit her full force. Jareth scooped her up into his arms, "I am sorry precious, but rules are rules."

Her eyes refused to focus, "You can't just take me away from home," she argued. "That's kidnapping."

"Not technically," he argued softly, "It's not like I'm taking you out of the house." He moved to the staircase and began to carry her upward.

"I'm not stepping one foot out that window," she slurred.__Sarah hoped she sounded convincing. "Thank you for calling on me, and good bye." Her head rolled back and her arm fell away rather dramticlly.

Jareth smiled at her mischievously, "We don't have to." His steps took them to the landing of the hall but he turned to head to the staircase up to the attic room. "We'll never step foot outside this house." He promised.

"But you said…"

"If Sarah Williams can't come to the Labyrinth," he chanted, "The Labyrinth will come to her…." The door of the attic room swung open just before they arrived at the upper landing and Jareth entered carrying the girl. The arched doorway filled with light and color and mysts, a magical portal had opened between the worlds. Outside the attic room was the Williams house, inside was a glittering shining room made of crystal.

Sarah's seemingly drunken daze vanished and she was all too sober, "NO!" she cried out.

Jareth placed her feet on what was now Labyrinth ground, her garments changed and she was once more in the spun sugar confection of a gown, with dancing slippers replacing her loafers. Jareth's appearance had shifted again as well and he was once more the Goblin King in his midnight blue jewel encrusted frock coat. "Oh yes," he said pulling the door shut behind them. "Now as I said, we've two hours, and since you seem to like this part of my kingdom best…"

Sarah turned to scowl at him, "I said I couldn't come."

"I told you you've no choice." He scowled back.

Music began to play, Sarah turned at the sound expecting to find the room filled with the rather intimidating array of guests. The room was empty; she turned to look at Jareth. "What was in that Scotch," she demanded.

"A little Labyrinth enticement," he answered with a coy smile.

"The last enticement you used on me involved a poisoned peach," she accused.

"Tainted, not poisoned," he corrected elegantly.

"Where is everyone?"

"I didn't invite them," he said soothingly. "This time it is just you, just I." Stepping back he extended a hand to her, "Come, let me show you the enchantment of this chamber."

"Do I have a choice?"

"No," he chuckled with merriment, "But it sounds so much more polite if I'm asking and not demanding. We've two hours, let us not waste them."

Sarah placed her hand on his, "Two hours, to accomplish what?"

"What indeed," he said leading her now down a spiral stair into the Crystal Ballroom. He paused and released her hand before he said, "Welcome back to the Labyrinth Sarah Williams."


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3.**_

_** Sarah moved forward to look at the splendor before her, **__**the ballroom had known opulence. Between glittering cornices were hung many long chandeliers where the wax, dripping for a hundred years, had formed stalactites. The silk covering of the walls had faded and, in places, worn threadbare. Bubbles of crystal decorated the room, and the whole of it was contained within the iridescent skin of one great bubble. A tall, gilt, thirteen-hour clock stood in a corner. It was almost twelve o'clock. Sarah looked at her escort but Jareth had vanished, no longer at her side.**_

_** Sarah had watched the dance and the dancers watched her from behind their masks in this room one year ago. The men had sported silken shirts open to the waist and tight velvet breeches. Some of them wore wide-brimmed, plumed hats; others had capes or carried staffs. The women's gowns left their shoulders bare and dove low between their breasts. They had their hair coiffed high, and many wore long gloves. The dancers moved in a ring around the ballroom, with a kind of lethargic brilliance, as though the party had been going on all night. Men who were not dancing lounged indolently against the columns, or in a cushioned pit in the center of the ballroom, in the company of women. Maids and footmen, with skin the color of old parchment, served them trays of fruit and refilled their goblets from decanters. And always the dancers were watching through the eyeholes in their cruel half-masks, from which snouts projected and horns sprouted above. Moving together or elegantly reclined, they watched Sarah, or watched each other watching, and beneath the masks the mouths smiled at each other like knives. **_

_** That had been one year ago, but tonight the room was empty. No dancers no footmen, no maids. The only person in the room was Sarah, standing on the stairs that led into the heart of the ballroom. Music played on the air just as it had that other time. Sarah felt as out of place now as she had on that night of twelve months ago.**_

_** Sarah's gown was silvery, the color of mother-of-pearl, with puffed leg o mutton sleeves that tapered down to her wrists. She had a crystal necklace on, and her hair was braided with strings of pearls and crystal beads laced with slivery vines and leaves. Her eyes were wide. She was the picture of innocence in this setting; a picture that excited had the dancers, who never took their masked eyes off her, while they moved with weary grace to the cadence of the sinisterly beautiful tune. **_

_** She walked slowly around the room. Sarah paused beside a tall mirror and looked at her image. The dress was still as slivery as it had been and still cut with a bit more maturity than she'd been accustomed to wearing. But something was different, Sarah perceived a bit of maturity in her appearance that had not been there a year ago. She looked~ older, more developed and ripened and found herself blushing.**_

_** Then Sarah saw something in the mirror that made her gasp. She had caught a glimpse of Jareth, entwined with a voluptuous woman, dancing past. She whirled around, but he had vanished. She stood there, looking intently for the Goblin King and his mysterious dance partner. Then someone murmured into her ear, "You are remarkably beautiful, my dear girl." **_

_** Sarah spun around to face whoever it was, her mouth open. At the mixture of surprise and pleasure on her face, there was no one there. She smiled nervously. **_

_** Hidden behind another drape, Jareth had watched it all, but Sarah had not seen him watching. His eyes were following Sarah wherever she went in the corrupt ballroom. **_

_** She was tense now, self-conscious. A year ago she'd been among people she could not understand but who behaved as though they knew something that she didn't know. She moved hurriedly around the ballroom looking for Jareth. She did not know why she wanted to find him, or what she would say to him. She just knew that it was vitally important that she should find him. **_

_** When she saw him, he was whispering something, and Sarah suspected it was to his beautiful partner, who would be responding by smiling knowingly from beneath her mask and licking her lips, slowly, with the tip of her tongue. **_

_** Sarah blushed and turned away in embarrassment at the thought of such imticamcy. She found herself looking into another of the tall mirrors around the room. Behind her she saw Jareth, standing alone. He was a resplendent figure, upright and blond, in a midnight blue frock coat, diamante at the neck, shoulders, and cuffs. Ruffs of pale gray silk at his throat and wrists set off the whiteness of his skin. On his legs he was wearing black tights and black, shiny boots. He was holding a horned mask on a stick, but he had lowered it, to look straight at Sarah in the mirror. Behind him, colors were whirling like dancers. He held his hand out. **_

_** She turned around, not expecting that he would really be there. He was, and he was still holding out his hand to her. She took it, feeling dizzy. Her dizziness ceased when she went spinning around the ballroom in Jareth's arms. She was the loveliest woman in the kingdom at the moment. She knew it, from the way in which Jareth was smiling down at her. All his attention was on her. The touch of his hands on her body was thrilling. To dance with him seemed the easiest and most natural motion. When he told her that she was beautiful, she felt confused. **_

_** "I feel ... I feel like ... I - don't know what I feel." She admitted shyly.**_

_** He was amused. "Don't you?" **_

_** "I feel like ... I'm in a dream, but I don't remember ever dreaming anything like this!" **_

_** He pulled back to look at her and laughed, but fondly. "You'll have to find your way into the part," he said, and whirled her on around the room. **_

_** She smiled up at him absently. She thought how handsome he was, but one didn't tell a man such things, did one? More than that, there was something in his face that was openly enjoying the moment, without the mocking or secretiveness that she had seen on other faces here. Or even on his face that last time she'd been in the Labyrinth. **_

_** "And when you've found your way in, stay in your dream, Sarah." Jareth's eyes were looking straight into hers. His smile was serious. "Believe me. If you want to be truly free, wholly yourself - you do want that, don't you?" Sarah nodded. "Then you will find what you want only as long as you stay in your dream. Once abandon it, and you are at the mercy of other people's dreams. They will make of you what they want you to be. Forget them,**_

_**Sarah. Trust to your dream." Sarah was spellbound. "Trust to me," Jareth said, moving his face close to hers. "Can you do that?" **_

_** She nodded, and looked up at him with anticipation. He was going to kiss her. She shut her eyes. That was the way to do it. Then suddenly she opened her eyes.**_

"What did you just say," she stopped dancing, stood still and refused to move.

"I said trust your dreams," Jareth answered looking conspicuously guilty.

"No," Sarah shook her head, "Before that, you said I had to find my way into the part," her eyes darkened. "Why did you say that? Where did you get that from?" she demanded.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said lightly trying to act innocent.

Sarah pulled her hands free of his hands and moved out of his embrace, "That's what Jeremy said to me on the night of my fifteenth birthday, just weeks before I… wished..." Her eyes felt like they were flames, "Why would you say that, how did you know to say that?" She began to back away from him, but she saw hurt on his face. The same expression that had been on his one year ago when she'd pulled out of his arms and ran for her life when the clock struck twelve. She looked at the clock that was frozen.

"Sarah," he pleaded gently, "I don't mean to upset you."

"Well I am upset," she grabbed a handful of skirt, "Look at me, look at this room! The only thing missing are those decadent others!" She looked down at the gown with embarrassment, "Why in God's name did you dress me like this, or make this room?"

"I didn't," he barked back. She dropped the handful of fabric and crossing her arms glared at him, "I swear I didn't," he moved forward and pointed a finger in her face. "You did!"

Arms dropped to her side, "I what?"

He motioned to the entire room, "You created this room, the music…" he accused her hotly, "You Sarah Williams, you even dressed me like… prince fucking charming!"

Sarah stared at him, "OH sure I did," she denied the accusation, "What am I a fairy godmother? Do you see a wand on me?"

Jareth's face twisted in anger and passion, a deadly combination. He cut the distance between them; his hands seized her forearms and pulled her to him. "Think little girl, think of that damned book, think about what no one knew…" His breath was hot on her face as he held her close.

"What no one knew," she repeated slightly dazed; her eyes widened, "But it's just a book, just a silly story to scare kids into behaving…"

"Is it really," he asked with a cruel laugh, "Then how do you explain all this? How do you explain your oh so triumphant trek through my maze? How do you explain our being here?"

"It's the storm," she closed her eyes and balled her fists, "I'm not in this ballroom, I'm not… I must have conjured you up and given myself an excuse to hit the old man's liquor cabinet… it's all a drunken hallucination."

His lips moved violently over hers, as he growled, "Does this feel like a hallucination to you?"

Sarah gasped, as his mouth took possession of hers. Tingles ran wildly up her spine and everywhere her body felt on fire. Her hands moved away from her sides and up to his back as her lips began to answer his urgency with her own. When he ended the kiss she was standing breathlessly in his arms.

"What no one knew," he lamented in a voice filled with loneliness, "Was that that Goblin King had fallen in love with the girl, and had given her certain powers…" He rested his forehead on hers, "You created this room, Sarah, and I am as much its prisoner as you are."

"And the others who were here, the dancers," she asked afraid to look, fearing they would not be alone.

"Members of my court," he confessed, "Somehow you managed to include them in your dream…."

"My dream," she asked.

"Once you'd eaten the peach," his voice took a serious turn, "You were more~ susceptible and receptive to the proposed gift…" He had not expected to make a confession nor had he planned on explaining any of this. "I sent four crystals, one of which would connect… in the crystals were some your dreams, this is the one you chose to live out."

Sarah looked up at him, "You're telling me I'm the one who made me look like frickin' Cinderella?"

"Sarah," he was working on composing himself and having to speak at this moment was a task he had not relished, "Believe me when I say dressing you as a virgin sacrifice was not my idea." His eyes glazed, passion gave way to lust and lust to hunger, "Had any of this been of my making your gown would have been far more revealing of your feminine attributes."

"You pervert!" she accused in an outrage.

"Let's not toss names about," he warned. "After all I'm not the one who came up with this cockeyed fairytale." His eyes danced with evil maliciousness, "I'm no prince charming!" He looked at the frock coat with disgust, "This Miss Williams is what a neophyte would believe is proper Fae attire."

"What's wrong with it," she asked suddenly experiencing a need to defend her 'dream' version of him. "It's elegant, expensive and classic."

"It's not me sweetheart," his voice came through gritted teeth. "It's sweet and charming, and it's immaculate." He closed his eyes, "I am not prince charming! I am the King of the Goblins… I'm the stuff nightmares are comprised of, the stories you tell little kids at night to get them to behave. I'm what bad girls dream about and long for." He repeated her words twisting them to serve his own purpose. "And while I can appreciate your~ desires for me… kindly desire me, not some imaginary image of me!"

"I don't desire you," she denied and turned her back on him, "And I don't care how you dress."

"Don't you precious," he challenged.

"Not a fig," she crossed her arms again and steeled herself against turning to look at him for fear of losing her resolve.

"Alright then," he said icily, "Allow me to slip into something more~ comfortable." The resonance and unveiled note of suggestiveness worried the girl. She wondered what he would deem comfortable, and stole a glance over her shoulder in time to see the frock coat fade and the dragon hide leather jerkin appear. He gave her a cocky smile as he swaggered toward her; "Now, about that dress…" his hand rose up, before she could protest her gown had been transformed.

Staring down at the dragon's hide bustier and peach toned jersey gypsy skirt that replaced the daring lace and spun sugar dress she gasped. The skirt clung to her figure and left little to the imagination, "I should have known you'd be into fetish wear." She lifted the skirt to inspect the boots she now wore.

"Hardly fetish Sarah darling," he teased, "This is clam compared to fetish garments, although I could be persuaded to substitute…"

"Not on your life," she grabbed his wrist, "You've done enough thank you." She looked down at the full transformation, "This is not me," she contended.

"Neither was that fancy ball gown," he argued back, "Believe me when I say this is much more you than you really want to know." Moving past her he looked about the ballroom, "Have you any idea of what a real ball or ballroom looks like?" his tone was insolent and insulting.

"Oh, go to hell," she snipped bitterly coming toward him looking at the room.

"Only if you join me," he said looking at her through half lowered lids, "Seriously Sarah, this looks like some kind of Disney dreamscape gone askew."

"What do you know about Disney?"

"Temper temper pet," he cautioned wagging his index finger in the air. "All the Fae have an affinity for Disney."

"Really," she drawled mimicking him, "And which Fairy was it you were a fan of, Flora, Fauna or Meriwether?"

"Maleficent," he shrugged smugly.

"That figures." She crowed.

Jareth placed his hand to her chin, "Precious," he warned in a sugary tone, "Don't piss me off, you won't like me pissed off…"

"What makes you think I want to like you," she asked sassily.

His eyes were on her lips, "That's a mouth that needs to be kissed, often and by someone who knows how to kiss." Involuntarily she shivered, her lips parted ever so slightly, invitingly. Taking her up on the invitation he cocked his head to one side and swooped down. The hunger between them was igniting smoldering embers to mounting flames. Her hands were pressed to his lapels while one of his hands wound into her hair. "Say it Sarah, say you want my kisses, that you need them…"

"When pigs fly," she replied breathlessly.

He chuckled, "I can arrange that." Ruthlessly he yanked her head back, exposing her neck to his kisses, "Deny it all you want Sarah, I know the truth."

Sarah closed her eyes, had he been this sexy a year ago? She tingled as his lips left fiery trails up and down her throat, "This is not fair," she moaned.

"I'm the Goblin King Sarah," he murmured against her skin, "I don't play fair, I play for keeps." His lips rested on her pulse point for a moment before he let up. "Now precious let me show you what this room really looks like." Jareth released her hair and smiled at her. Once he was sure she was able to stand on her own, he moved to the edge of the landing they were standing upon. Raising his arms he warned her over his shoulder, "Remember Sarah, this is the Goblin Kingdom."

Sarah watched as the room shifted, turned a bit darker in its styling and its décor. The crystals hanging changed shape turning darker, more dangerous in appearance. The pillars morphed to more grotesquely and yet elegantly shaped supports. The long silken fabric that looked threadbare and faded in Sarah's version of the room turned to cobwebs that were almost too delicate and gracefully pleasing to the eye to be real. Like fine silk threads that had been woven with tiny crystals and droplets of dew, they hung gracefully moving in the eerie breeze that made them fluttered rather erotically. The cushions in the pit below darkened to the various shades one would find on a peach. Tables changed in contour have an effect on their structure until they resembled something more exotic than the picturesque white spheres that were dotting here and there. Even the refreshments had altered.

"Now Sarah, this is how my crystal ballroom looks when it's not tampered with," Jareth said with pride.

"It does have its," she sought for a word, "Appeal."

Jareth gave her a haughty smile, "You've no idea."

"Oh but I do," she countered, "Jareth, I may be innocent and unknowing, but I'm not stupid," he raised a brow at her, "Did you think I wasn't aware of what was going on down there," she pointed to the pit with its pillows and its tiers of levels and erotic placement. "One would have to have been blind not to have noticed."

"True," he agreed, "Your version was just a bit more~ sedate."

Sarah looked down once more, "Not as I recall."

"Sarah," his hand stroked her cheek, "Trust me, if it hadn't been tampered with you'd have seen much more~ erotic behavior." He chuckled, "My court hardly ever holds back and they were feeding off your innocents."

"Were you?"

The stroke hesitated for an instant, "I am what I am," he stated darkly.

"The Goblin King," she nodded.

"The Goblin King," he agreed.

Sarah looked at his revealed ballroom; the music playing had changed in tone and manner. It was more sinister and exotic with an undercurrent that was thrilling. Sighing in resignation, Sarah nodded, "This is more fitting to your kingdom," there was sadness in her voice. "My version was rather pale compared to this."

"Your version was a conglomeration of sanitized fairytales," Jareth suggested gently. "Perhaps it's time to explore the darker side of the fairytales."


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter 4.**_

__"The darker side," she asked turning to look at him.

He nodded slowly, "A year ago you would not have been ready to explore such possibilities."

"I don't understand," she confessed.

Moving closer he clasped his hands behind his back, gazing at her as he had in the tunnels beyond the False alarms; "Sarah last year you were~ too old to turn and too young to keep."

"Keep?"

"Keep," he growled hungrily.

Color flooded her cheeks as the candor of his statement connected with her conscious, "What then did you intend to do if I lost?" she asked slightly embarrassed.

"Bend rules to nearly the breaking point," he confessed with a bit of a swagger. "But that was a year ago. The way you saw things, the way you desired things was on a much more~ childlike level."

She gazed back at the erotic and exotic ballroom, "And you think I'm now ready for this?" She sounded skeptical.

"I'd prefer to think that you're closer to accepting a more, mature version of the fairytale," he offered.

Sarah bit down on her trembling lower lip, "You say I was childlike, but that didn't stop you from trying to seduce me."

"No," he admitted hesitantly, "It didn't deter me."

"Are you trying to seduce me now?"

"I did have it in mind," he answered with that hauntingly enchanting haughty grin.

Sarah considered his admission, "Need I remind you that I'm only sixteen and still a minor?"

Jareth pointed to the door at the top of the ballroom, "Out there you're a minor in here you're fair game."

"You're kidding," she scoffed.

"I've never been more serious in my life," he told her coyly.

"Are you flirting with me?"

"A bit."

Suspicious of his intentions and what his explanations were leaving out Sarah moved away from him, hoping to give herself space to think clearly. It wasn't working and she blamed whatever it was he'd put in the Scotch. "What is it you're not telling me?" her voice was angry. She looked at him; he looked like someone trying to cover their tracks. "You said I have to spend two hours here… why? I won, that should be all there is to this…"

He had not expected her to be able to discern, or at least not until he had achieved his goal. "Sarah," he warned, "Be careful what you ask for."

Hoggle had told her she had to ask the right questions, and she suddenly found that to be very good advice. She stood her ground, "Why am I here?"

The Goblin King looked as if there were a battle going on within him. He seemed compelled to answer her but he didn't appear to wish to give her the answer she sought; "To finish the two hours taken from you."

"Why?" she placed her hands to her hips, almost challenging him to not answer. "Why here?"

Jareth closed his eyes, seeming in pain, "Because you left in the middle…"

"The middle?" He refused to say more; instead he stormed down the tiers and to the pit. He poured wine into a goblet and drank. Sarah followed, "In the middle of what?"

"Bonding," he growled.

"Bonding?" She made a face, "What the hell are you talking about?"

"For a girl who liked to play out the books she read you don't actually know very much do you," he snarled. He drank deeper of the goblet, before he gave her a rather threatening glance.

Sarah was thinking but shook her head, "You said I was too young to keep…"

"But keep you I would have," he glowered in a sinister way.

"That's why you allowed me to decorate this chamber like a fairytale…" Sarah gasped. "You were trying to seduce me!"

"Trying," he scoffed, "Hell girl, I was seceding royally!" Once more he put the goblet to his lips. "If it weren't for that blasted clock…"

"Your goal was to make me forget Toby in any way you could?"

Tossing the empty goblet aside he cut the distance between them, leering and gloating, "My goal was to bond with you and force you to stay here at my side. The baby was collateral."

"Bastard," she moved to strike his face but he caught her hand and pulled her toward him.

"We can still salvage this," he told her as his eyes devoured her hungrily, "We can complete the bonding…"

"You're insane," she whispered.

"Damn close," he admitted with a sardonic chuckle. "We were almost there Sarah, so close," his eyes closed in pain, but his hand held her wrist in a grip that could not be broken. "You still don't understand."

"Then explain it to me," she begged.

"When you bolted, we were almost completely bonded…" His stormy eye opened, gazing at her with the same hauntingly enchanting gaze that he'd given her a year ago just before he'd taken her into his arms to dance. "Sarah, listen to me," he begged, "I have only these two hours, and not even that now… in which to convince you to complete the bond…"

"Why?"

"If I don't," he swallowed, "They will try to force me to bond with a Fae woman… and since I'm half bonded to you…" His voice shook, "If you think I'm half mad now…"

"How could we have been bonded?"

He laughed sadly, "Sarah we danced in a damn fairy ring~ I sang Fae song to you."

"This all sounds so familiar but out of context," she answered but saw his pain, "What are you not telling me?"

"If I go mad," he whispered, "So shall you."

"Oh," she blinked and took a long breath and looked about in confusion.

"We are linked, you and I, even if the bond is only half a bond," he put in plain words.

"So I really have no choice here," she asked, "All because of that stupid book? But it's just a story…."

"It's not just a story," he argued, "It's our story, a prophecy of us." He moaned, "Didn't you read the whole thing?"

"Of course I did," she snapped. "The girl goes to the castle of the Goblin King and saves the baby…."

Jareth stared at her, "Give me that book," he held out his hand. "You'll find it in your pocket."

"I've got pockets," she slid a hand down to her hip to find the book right where it had been in her jeans. "Well I'll be damned." She removed it, handed it to her companion and watched his face change expressions. "What's wrong?"

"Your copy has been tampered with," he said in lament.

"No it hasn't," she denied taking it from his hands; she looked at the end of the book and then realized it was missing something. "I never noticed this; it looks like pages were torn out."

"We're doomed," he whispered. "Is this where the play ended?" She nodded and he moaned, "No wonder you were so…"

"If this is not the ending," she pursued her lips, "What is? And who the hell removed it from my book?"

"I'd wager it was removed from all the books if the play ends there," Jareth expressed grief.

"How does it end," she asked.

Jareth shook his head, "If I say how, you'd not believe me." He shrugged, "You'd think I was just trying to get my way and I wouldn't blame you."

"Well going mad is not an option!" She tossed the book aside as if it were useless, "Where do we find Robin?"

"That would require leaving this room," Jareth sat down dejectedly on the stair, "And we're confined to this space until our time is up."

"Why?"

"Because you chose it," Jareth sighed.

"Fuck me," Sarah barked.

"Is that an invitation," Jareth looked at her hopefully.

"Get your mind outta the gutter," Sarah said taking a seat beside him, "Come on, you're the frickin' Goblin King… there's got to be some way we can get to Robin…" She nudged him, "Razzle dazzle me." She looked at the room, "If you can create the Labyrinth in my attic…"

"Not the entire Labyrinth," he corrected softly, "Merely one portion."

"A bubble within a bubble…" she suggested with a giggle. "What if you took one of those crystals and created a bubble where Robin is, and keep it contained here, in the ballroom?"

Jareth looked at her in surprise, "You're beginning to think like a Fae," he said in awe, leaned toward her and kissed her softly. "It should work." He praised.

"Well come on," she encouraged.

Focusing he drew a single sphere from the air, "Reveal Robin," he said aloud. The image filled the sphere.

Sarah leaned closer, peered at the figure before turning to him and scoffing, "That's Robin Zaker, the brilliant author?"

Jareth looked sheepishly at the girl, "I'm afraid so."

"He's an old man who talks in riddles, when you can get him to talk," she complained bitterly. "He can't be the one who wrote this book," she reached for the book but it rose up on little legs and scurried away. "I hate this place," she cursed.

"Do you," Jareth appeared truly wounded.

"No," she sighed, "I just hate not being prepared for the unexpected." She wiped her brow, "So that's Robin."

"That's Robin."

"Can he hear us?" she looked at the sphere that was spinning slowly in the King's hand.

"No," Jareth heave a sigh, "I sound proofed this room before we stepped through the portal. I didn't want our conversations overheard."

"So can how do we get from here to there," she asked.

Jareth removed his hand, the orb hung in space for a moment spinning and glowing. Miraculously the orb began to grow until the old man in the image was seated in his garden in actual size. The frame of the bubble thinned, and looked like mists. "We can only be in there a short time, I can't hold the Labyrinth back long." He cautioned.

Sarah nodded, "In and out," she said.

"In, you ask what you need to," Jareth nodded. "Then out again."

"What do you mean what I need to, aren't you coming to?"

"I have to stay here and hold the fabric of magic from collapsing," he informed her.

"We're going to have a long talk about all this half assed magic," she warned threateningly before she moved to the bubble. "Here goes nothing…"

The bubble parted like a curtain as the girl from the mortal realm passed into its center. Sarah approached the man on the stone throne snoring lightly. She frowned, how could this be the person who had written the book and the play Labyrinth? This old fool spoke gibberish and in puzzles. She cleared her throat, to get his attention.

"He's indisposed," the hat opened one eye as it spoke sarcastically.

Sarah crossed his arms, "Well he had better become disposed damn quick."

"OH the mouth on you," the bird said in a snarky tone. "Kiss your mother with that mouth do you?"

"No she kisses the king," the old man said with his eyes still closed.

"Hello Robin," Sarah greeted him disdainfully crossing her arms and tapping her toe.

Yawning and giving her a sheepish grin the old man said in a low drawn out drawl, "Hello Sarah."

"You old fraud," she accused; "Letting the book get out with pages missing."

The hat snickered.

"Now Sarah, what fun would it have been if you had known the outcome, the real outcome," Robin asked with a devilish twinkle in his eyes.

"OH so driving both your King and I insane is more fun?"

"There's no need for anyone to go insane," Robin yawned, "You just need to finish the story…"

"Do you have the missing pages?" she demanded.

"No," Robin leaned on his throne, "They were torn out without having ever been printed upon."

"What," she snapped.

"The story is yours to finish," he said with a grin. "So go back and finish." He closed his eyes and began to snore again.

"I think that's your lot," the bird said, "Leave a contribution…" his words were halted when Sarah grabbed his beak and silenced him.

"When I get this mess straightened up," she threatened with fire in her emerald eyes, "I'm coming back to take care of both of you." She turned, headed to the edge of the bubble and stepped through just as it collapsed. Jareth looked as if he were about to collapse as well. She rushed to his side and caught him before he crumpled. He held to her, breathing raggedly.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter 5.**_

__"Did he give you the pages," he asked between ragged draws of breath.

Sarah shook her head, "There are no pages," she lamented, "The bastard says we have to write the ending."

Jareth moaned, laughed and rested his head on her shoulder, "I should have known he'd pull a stunt like that…"

"What made you think there was another ending," she asked trying to find clues to what the ending was supposed.

"The way he told me the story over the years," Jareth breathed in her scent, unable to help himself; "For as long as I can remember he told that story but the ending went a bit differently."

Sarah looked at the goblin ballroom, "Jareth, there was no ballroom in the book."

"I took liberties," he admitted in a muffled voice. "I was desperate…" he rested on her shoulder until his breathing became more even.

Sarah held him soothingly, "So you already started to rewrite this story," she suggested.

"So it would seem," the admission was more than he'd wanted her to know. He sat up still drained from having held the orb open for Sarah's mission. "What exactly did that old fox tell you?"

Folding her hands into her lap Sarah recalled the words of the old man, "He said the story is ours to finish, and that he sent the books out without the last chapter ever having been printed. That it would have been no fun had you or I known the outcome, the real outcome."

"I could strangle him," Jareth commiserated.

"You'll have to stand in line," Sarah blushed, "I threatened him and the bird."

"ah," Jareth placed his hand over hers, the leather glove felt like butter it was so soft.

"What outcome did he tell you when he recited this story?" Sarah asked again.

"The girl won back the baby," Jareth stated, "Took him back to her parents, but she missed the magic of the Kingdom of the Goblins and she missed their King. She called to him, confessed her feelings for him and so and so forth."

"Jareth what other changes did we make," she asked.

"You mean besides the ballroom?" Jareth headged.

"Yes."

"In the original story that Robin wrote I… turned the baby into a goblin," he seemed uncomfortable self-conscious and a bit ashamed.

"But you didn't turn Toby into a goblin," Sarah pointed out, "Did you?"

"No," Jareth stated firmly. "He was so bright and pleasant and so… intelligent and lively…I didn't have the heart to rob him of that, replacing it with the goblin…senses." His face puckered slightly.

Sarah was studying his features, "You're doing it again," she accused. "You're leaving something out."

Stormy eyes looked at her, ready to deny her accusation, until the stormy eyes met the ones of emerald green. "When did you get so good at reading me," he asked.

"Just recently, must be part of my new maturity." She scoffed. "So what is it you're not telling me?"

"You were not the only one to eat of the Fae food…" Jareth looked off to the distance as he made his confession. "Because I was changing things I didn't think you could win… I figured I'd have you and the baby… a readymade little family."

Sarah stood up glaring at him, "You jerk," she snapped. "What did you give to my baby brother?"

"Milk and bread," the Goblin King snapped back. "I'm not in the habit of starving little children."

"No," she shot back, "You're in the habit of turning innocent little children into goblins!"

"I am not," he declared. "Only a handful of mortals have ever been turned…. And they deserved it."

"Right and I'm supposed to just accept that?"

He stood up, glared right back at her, "I swear on all that's unholy you are the most stubborn female in this world or any other." Crossing his arms he stated, "What children who've come to me in the last century or so have been adopted, not turned. Even before that I gave citizenship without turning."

"Adopted?"

"Not all races are as prolific as your human race," Jareth's tone was insulting. "As for Toby, I intended to adopt him myself, and planned on our raising him as our own."

"That's twisted!" Sarah snapped, "He's my brother." She shuddered as she thought about what he had purposed, "That boards on being~ incestuous."

Jareth's anger faded, amusement coming quickly into his stormy eyes. "Why Sarah," he purred. "What an evil mind you have."

"Stop that," she blushed before she could help herself. He had accused her several times of being less than pure and she worried he might be right.

"I knew that goodie two shoes thing was a façade," he teased. "Perhaps it's the darker regions of your soul we should explore."

"Not on your life," she shook her head.

"Just what was it you think I was asking you to do," his smile thinned, becoming more of a leer. "Or what were you hoping I'd ask?"

"I'm not going down this path," she held up a hand to stop him.

"Too late," Jareth withdrew an orb from the air, "Show me Sarah's thoughts," he commanded. He watched for a moment before his brow rose up into his hairline. "You naughty girl," he scolded in a turned on manner once more leering at her, "But for the record I had no intentions of sharing your… bountiful attributes with Toby."

Sarah turned her back on him as her face burned with embarrassment, "I'm beginning to hate those fuckin' orbs."

The orb faded back into oblivion Jareth moved closer, his hands sliding forward over her waist, "I intend to teach you such lovely bad things," he crooned in her ear, his hand moving up her ribs as her head fell back and her breathing came in short pants. "I can show you just how good being bad can feel," he promised as his lips moved over her ear.

"Jareth, that's not fair," she moaned.

"No," he agreed as his hands cupped her breasts, "It's not."

Sarah held her breath for a moment, shocked by how much she wanted him to touch her. The warmth from under his glove spread like wildfire in spite of the fact that his hand was not in direct contact with her skin. A slivery ripple of fire shot through her and her skin tingled. She turned her face to his, half expecting him to be smirking or ridiculing her in some expression on his handsome aristocratic face. But the smirk was not there, nor was he in any way mocking her. His facial expression was one of passion, much like he'd looked at her during the first moments of their dance. "Jareth," she whispered.

"I wanted you," he said darkly, "I want you more now." His hands stayed on her possessively.

Her hand came up, touching his face with bare delicate fingers, her lower lip trembled with emotion as she spoke, "I've never…"

"I know;" he said decisively, "You didn't think I would let you just waltz out of here and into the arms of some pimpled face swain, now did you?"

Sarah's hands move to his wrists, "What did you do to me?" She twisted out of his embrace and backed away.

Jareth sauntered toward her, "Sarah that peach didn't just make you more ~ susceptible. It rendered your being intolerable to mortal men."

"But you didn't know you'd fail," she argued.

"Well if the story went the way Robin told it originally I was destined to lose you for a time," Jareth reasoned, "But knowing how randy some of the young men of your world are… I wasn't taking any chances on someone else taking what was and is mine."

"I am not yours."

"Yes you are," he glowered as he moved closer, watching her as she was edging toward the end of the tier, he wondered if he should reach out and stop her or allow her to fall into the pit and then just fall in beside her.

"Back off Romeo!" She stepped back, her foot found nothing solid behind her.

Jareth watched with delight, she'd fallen backward so gracefully, landing in the cushions below. He smiled down at her, "Stay there, I'll be right with you." He leaned forward, landing beside her with one arm draped over her pinning her to the spot. "Why fight it Sarah," he asked wickedly, "We are each other's equal." His head rested on his other hand as he gazed down at her.

"In your dreams," she muttered angrily.

"In our nightmares," he corrected. When she groaned he asked, "Are you going to lay there and tell me I don't give you the hot panties?"

Sarah gaped at him, "Where the hell did you pick up that phrase?"

"I don't know," he mused lightheartedly, "Somewhere in the fifties or sixties."

"Well lose it," she snapped.

He leaned closer, "Not until you admit I get your motor running."

"Hell," she tried to shove him away but he was more resistant in the position he was in. "Fine," she huffed, "Yes you make my heart race, yes you fill my mind with dirty thoughts, yes you get my motor running… at full throttle." Glaring she asked, "Happy dear?"

"Ecstatic," he admitted. "And we haven't taken off a stitch yet."

Groaning she closed her eyes, "You dirty old man."

"Comparatively speaking," he chuckled before he buried his face in her hair. "Oh Sarah what fun we could have."

"You call this fun?"

Tenderly his lips caressed her ear, moving to her throat and chin, "This, my little hellcat is just a prelude to fun." Knowing the girl was in an argumentative mood he silenced her with his lips. Her response was more than satisfying. Delighting in the passion that met his he moved in a rolling motion until his body was covering hers. Into her mouth he moaned, "Woman, if I don't have you soon I'll explode."

"We can't," she lamented.

"Says who?" he asked gently still persuading with hands and lips.

"Jareth," she fought to stay rational, but her body was not cooperating. "Is this how you want the story to end… taking advantage and ravishing me?"

He paused, smiled and winked, "Works for me," he growled from the back of his throat.

Sarah considered throwing caution to the winds; she considered how pleasurable being his sex toy could be. But something wouldn't let her, "I don't want to be just some… diversion."

"You're not," he promised, "You are far more…"

"You sound like all the other boys," she pouted, "I expect next you be saying," her voice dropped to imitate a boy, "Trust me baby…."

"Do boys actually say that," Jareth made a face, "How very unsettling," he agreed. "Sarah you should never trust me any further than you can throw me." He said honestly. "Let me be perfectly clear, getting into your panties has been in my plans from the start… whether it's now or later… doesn't really matter… but I do intend to spend a lot of time teaching you the horizontal mambo." She stared at him. "I doubt there's enough time to give you a truly good…" He laughed as he watched the shock on her face. "Surely you were aware that I had ever intentions of being your lover."

"My lover," she repeated incredulously.

"Sarah," he purred, "I am what I am, and you are a delightful not quiet mortal morsel that has teased me into frenzy." He lay back into the pillows beside her. "It will take centuries for us to explore all the avenues of pleasure to be had."

"I'm not going to live for centuries," she whispered looking at him resting so peacefully and naturally at her side.

"Of course you shall; both you and Toby will." His voice was happy, content and totally relaxed. "It's a benefit of having ingested Fae food, you're a changeling now. Not quite human, not quite Fae. Something in between." Turning on his side he smiled at her, "We'll have decades to get decadent with one another once we've finished this bonding."

"The bonding," she sat up, "How much time do we have left?"

"A bit," he said refusing to be rushed.

"Will the bonding finish this story for Robin," She asked.

"It should suffice," the Goblin King mused.

"Suffice," she narrowed her gaze, "Look buddy, it has to do more than just be adequate, or suffice! It has to meet the requirements or we're still stuck, and we don't have time to explore other options!"

"Fine," he said annoyed with her harping, he rose to his feet and pulled her up, "Come on… we have to finish our little dance."

"We finished the dance," she argued as he pulled her to the clearing where they had danced a year before.

"No, we didn't," he corrected as he held arms out to her, "You interrupted our finish."

"I did not," she pouted, "Those~ people were staring at us…"

"Well there's no one here now precious."

Sarah glanced about, "So why does it feel like there are?" She placed a hand in his and one to his shoulder, "Oh this feels so wrong."

"Look to me," he coaxed, "Forget everything but me." He moved to the music that had been playing continuously.

Sarah shook her head, "This is wrong," she said making faces. "It's not working."

Jareth paused, "Wrong song," he said in agreement, closed his eyes and frowned as the song would not change. "Blast," he cursed. "It won't change."

"What do you mean it won't change," she asked concerned that things were coming close to the wire for them. "We don't have a lot of time left, do we?"

"No," he said softly.

Her hand moved off his shoulder to his face, "Sing to me Jareth, ignore that music, and sing to me your song… sing our song."

"There's only one stanza left," he whispered.

"Sing it," she encouraged.

"There's no beginning, and there'll be no end," he sang drawing her across the floor move gracefully than he had when first they'd danced together. "There's no right there can be no wrong," He spun her out and drew her back, "There's only a heart that beats for you, that beats for you," The music in the air had changed as they waltzed. "With your new dreams of futures and pasts, as the world falls down… falling… falling… falling in love…" There steps moved gracefully over the empty dance floor, hauntingly reminiscent of the first dance but different in its execution. He moved with her, the room brightened, the winds that the music played upon moved and swayed the long fabric and webs. Sarah looked at him, and the bond was completed, somewhere a clock began to chime. Jareth released her hand and she was swept up by a vortex, "Falling in love…"


	6. Chapter 6

_**Chapter 6.**_

__Sarah found herself standing precariously on the landing below the stairs to the attic. Dazed and confused she moved toward the hall and Toby's room to check on him one last time. Her fingers hesitated at the switch, but she chose to give it a try. The lights flickered on but seemed dim, the little boy lay sleeping peacefully on his bed. Sarah watched for a moment before she turned the light off and retreated.

She was turning off the lights in the parlor when she noticed that the front door was being unlocked and the voices of her father and stepmother were coming into the hall. "How'd it go?" she asked as she joined them.

"Sarah you're still up," her father looked at her with surprise, "I was sure you'd have turned in." he turned to someone behind him. "This is my daughter," he said to the man entering the house. Sarah stared, her mouth agape, her father chuckled, "I told you she'd be shocked to find me representing one of her favorite authors."

Karen cleared her throat, "Sarah," she whispered, "Close your mouth.

The stranger moved forward, "Sarah Williams." He took her hand looking at her with surprise and delight.

"Sarah," her father was saying in a voice she barely recognized. "This is Robin Zaker."

"Robin Zaker," she repeated incredulously.

They stared into each other's eyes, he holding her hand gently. "I understand you're fond of a book I wrote," his tone was pleasant.

"Labyrinth," she nodded.

"Robin would you like a night cap," Robert asked.

"Yes, scotch, neat." He never took his eyes off the girl.

"Sarah," Karen insisted, "It's late."

"Yes," Sarah agreed without moving.

"Bed," Karen said more forcefully.

Still the Englishman refused to relinquish her hand, "I know you…" his voice turned genuinely pleased, "Of course, you're the girl at that dreadful dinner party last year… you were with that actress… what was her name? Lidia?"

"Linda," Sarah supplied, "My mother."

Yes, of course," Robin clasped her hand in both of his, "I've been looking everywhere for you, I had such a lovely conversation with you… you saved me from an evening of tedium." He looked at her shocked parents, "So few young ladies understand classic fairytales," he gazed back at Sarah, "But you did."

Sarah blushed. "My grand mothers', both of them were very big on folklore."

"They were," Karen asked Robert who nodded, "Really."

"I'm so pleased to meet you again; I never did catch her last name at that dinner event, too many people." He smiled over at Robert, "I asked who she was but no one could or would tell me."

"I'm surprised you remembered me," Sarah said feeling her stepmother's gaze. "I really must be off to bed."

"I look forward to seeing you again, Sarah."

"Yes, well…" she extracted her hand, "Good night." Sarah scurried past him and moved to the stairs wondering what in the world Jareth was up to. Hesitating at the top of the stair she paused to try and listen to the conversation below to no avail. Frustrated and annoyed she entered her bedroom leaving the light off. She took a seat on the bed and tried to figure out what that Goblin was up to. An hour later she heard the front door open and close.

Turning she saw her window open by its self, she stood as the barn owl flew in and transformed, "Are you out of your mind," she asked in a hushed voice.

"They can't hear you," Jareth advised as he fully transformed, "I've put a sound spell on this room so we can talk." He looked entirely too pleased with himself.

"I've nothing more to say to you," she claimed defiantly crossing her arms, "We took care of all our business by finishing that bonding so you won't go mad or be forced into bonding with anyone else. So you can just leave."

Mimicking her, he too crossed his arms, "Oh did we now?" he asked in a cocky tone. "I'd say there's still quite a bit of business left between us."

"Such as," she challenged.

"Where to live, how many children to have," he said off the top of his head pleasantly.

"I beg your pardon."

"Sarah," he pursed his lips. "The bonding is a lifelong thing," sauntering forward he explained. "It may take me a couple of years to convince your father, but ah…" he snorted a chuckle, "You and I are…matched."

"Forget it," she turned her back to him.

"Give us a little kiss," he teased in her ear.

"When hell freezes over," she replied.

"I can arrange that," he crooned in her ear.

Glancing sideways at his face, seeing his confident smirk she believed he actually could. "You're going to be such trouble…"

"Count on it, precious."

Fin

_**Here we end yet another short tale from the Goblin Vault.**_

_**I hope you enjoyed it…**_

_** "You're ending it there?"**_

_** "Yes."**_

_** "But I didn't get the girl…"**_

_** "Didn't you?"**_

_** "But nothing was resolved." **_

_** "Wasn't it?"**_

_** "If it weren't your birthday Scribe I'd have you dipped in the bog."**_

_** "Yeah yeah, then who would write your tales?"**_


End file.
